Beer Guide 2014: Low Growl

Unexpectedly awesome growler filling stations.

From the outside, Clinton Market looks
like a beaten-in little bodega that makes its bones on energy shots,
beef jerky, lottery tickets and smokes—mostly smokes. But inside this
surprisingly large store is perhaps the largest collection of beer
bottles south of Division Street and east of the river, including
semi-rare imports like Brasserie d’ Achouffe and Pinkus situated above
Camo Black Extra malt liquor. And behind the camo bandannas and
e-cigarettes, five taps dispense Barley Brown’s and Breakside at only
$12 for 64 ounces.

39th Mini Mart

935 SE Cesar E. Chavez Blvd., 234-1411.

Comparatively antiseptic thanks to its high-gloss white
linoleum floors and neat shelves, the whistle-clean lines at this
convenience store pump 64 ounces of double IPA for $9.99. Along with
tandoori chicken, cellphone chargers and copies of Busted magazine,
the shop also schedules special tastings from companies like Bridgeport
and 2 Towns. You’re much better off here than at the nearby Belmont
Bodega, which has an actual bar but only four taps—one of which goes to
PBR, and two others to mainstream ciders.

Pizza, sandwiches and growlers of beer,
all delivered by bike in Old Town and for 15 blocks around the brewery
on MLK. It’s $15 for a new growler ($10 if you hand them back one of
their own) plus a $2.50 delivery charge. They even use the bike to
deliver kegs to nearby bars, though not private parties. Greasy, cheesy,
bready pizzas are $20 for a modest-sized large.

Portland’s two newest major grocery stores, the gutted
Safeway on Hawthorne and brand-new New Seasons between Williams and
Vancouver, both installed growler filling stations. Before you burn
rival rewards cards, there are a few things you should know. First, you
can’t work the handles yourself and the protocol for tracking down help
(ask Safeway’s customer service desk, buzz a New Seasons associate) is a
hassle. Second, New Seasons’ selection is limited and expensive, with
two wines and two beers, including Hopworks Alt priced at $15. Safeway
has five beers topping out at $14 for a bourbon barrel-aged stout, but
Josh, the bag boy summoned to help, didn’t show up for 10 minutes.
Personally, I’ll stick with the legendary beer case at Fred Meyer on
Hawthorne.

Gresham Tobacco Outlet

1173 NE Division St., Gresham, 661-2290.

Sure, this tobacco store in the plaza behind the Best
Western Pony Soldier Inn has Cyclone wraps, Blu e-cigs, corncob pipes,
hookahs, two humidors of cigars and a food section stocked with Hostess
devil’s food cake Donettes and the newest flavor of Cheetos. But it also
has an outrageously well-appointed tap list (Ballast Point IPL, Atlas
Apricot Cider, Worthy DIPA, Iron Horse Irish Death) with $8.99 fills and
a stock of growlers, including the $50 Bräuler and three glass
varieties. Some locals are slow on the uptake—the couple
in front of me found it odd to reuse the glass, eyeing a Stone jug for
next time as the clerk filled a new Double Mountain growler—while others
are realizing this is the cheapest way to get top-notch brew anywhere
in the metro area.